In the Dark
by Leavepandasalone
Summary: Ichigo felt her eyes slowly open and blink. She felt the soft blanket covering her weak body and heard the beeping of the machines around her. She knew she was alive and moving... She just couldn't see a thing. When Ichigo gets into an accident, she loses her eye sight. How will this change her way of life, the people around her, and her patissiere career?
1. Chapter 1: The Car Crash

**Author's Note**

**So I wanted to experiment making a Yumeiro Patissiere story that was sort of like a tragedy. I noticed all of the sad stories here were about Ichigo dying. Why was that? It's not like the author wanted her to die, it was because she was the person who didn't deserve it the most. If it happened to Hanabusa, we would of course be depressed about it, but if it was Ichigo... It would feel like we were just stabbed in the heart.**

**It's a sad feeling for anything bad to happen to someone so cheerful and optimistic. I'm not trying to make the readers feel bad for her, I just want to see how it would change everything if something did happen.**

**I viewed my options, killing her is to played out and might turn out to be a one-shot, giving her a disease is also a used topic. It had to be something that would be bad, but doesn't kill her or bed-rids her. So... I thought, "What if Ichigo was blind?"**

**This story is dedicated to Talia Castellano, who had cancer but looked at life with a positive view until the end. She didn't ignore her problem, or act as if it wasn't there, she just lived through her days, knowing that being depressed wasn't going to fix anything.**

**Summary:**

**Ichigo felt her eyes slowly open and blink. She felt the soft blanket covering her weak body and heard the beeping of the machines around her. She knew she was alive and moving... She just couldn't see a thing. When Ichigo gets into an accident, she loses her eye sight. How will this change her way of life, the people around her, and her patissiere career?**

* * *

**Normal POV**

Students were all over campus, with a luggage bag or two. This week they get to go home and spend time with their families. All of the students were of course excited to see their family, among the crowd was the irritated Kashino Makoto, who absolutely dreads going home.

"It can't be that bad, Kashino..." Ichigo said, nervously.

"It can't be that bad?! You've never even met my parents! It'll be terrible! I know it!" He yelled, negatively.

As always, Group A was together, much to the girl's (A.k.a: Ichigo's haters) dismay.

"I'm sorry Maa-kun, that you can't come to my house, this year." Andou apologised politely.

"No... It's not your fault. You guys are going to Okinawa?" He asked.

"Yes, my father's friend wanted us to visit since it was a long vacation." He replied.

"Where are you going, Hanabusa-kun?" Ichigo asked.

"My mother and I are going to my aunt's place in Kyoto. We'll be helping her expand her garden." He explained, "And you?"

"I'm visiting my cousin in Saitama." She smiled, happily.

"While you guys are all going to different places in Japan, I have to go back home!" Kashino shrugged.

"Don't worry- Ah! There's Papa. I have to go! Bye-bye!" Ichigo waved.

"Have a good time, Ichigo-chan!" Andou said.

"We'll see you in a week!" Hanabusa said.

Kashino, not being in a mood, only shrugged and looked away. Ichigo stuck her tongue on him and went into her dad's car. He frowned at her and begun thinking about studying during his break. He wasn't planning to speak or even look at his parents during his time there.

They knew they were all going to see her later... Just not in a horrible state.

**~Time skip~**

Due to traffic, Ichigo and her dad were stuck on the highway, still far from home. Ichigo drew in her notebook as Vanilla sat on her shoulder. They then heard a loud honking horn.

"What is that?" Vanilla asked as she stood up.

Up ahead on the opposite side of the road, was an out of control truck, spinning in different directions, getting closer. Before they could do anything, they froze in the spot, as if they were unable to move. Once Ichigo's dad finally snapped out of it, he turned the car around to drive back. Ichigo turned around to see the truck's side smashing into them.

Her world then went black.

**An hour after, the Kashino Mansion...**

Kashino was studying in his room. He was lucky enough that only his sister and husband was home at the time. He was practising things he learned and read ahead into his textbook. He had been home for an hour when his cell phone rang.

He opened the flip phone up to see who it was, "Hanabusa?" He said.

He reluctantly answered it as the narcissist begun yelling with a panicked tone, "Kashino-kun! Kashino-kun!"

"What is it?!" Makoto yelled back with an annoyed tone.

"It's Ichigo-chan! She was..."

Kashino's world came crashing down. For once in his life, he had to process what someone was saying. He didn't understand it. He didn't want to understand it.

Was he joking? "No.." Was he telling him a lie? "No..." Was... this really happening? "No...!"

Kashino stood up and ran out of his house, no cellphone, no jacket, no nothing. He just knew where to go, so he ran there. To Kashino General Hospital.


	2. Chapter 2: Her Condition

**Normal POV**

Kashino ran into Kashino General Hospital with no hesitation. He ran to the front desk immediately.

"Makoto-kun?" The receptionist said, in confusion.

"What room is Amano Ichigo in?" He asked, frantically.

"Eh?"

"Just tell me!" He yelled impatiently.

While she looked for the room number, he was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Makoto. Are you finally letting go of your hopeless dream of becoming a patissiere?" His father said, with a sarcastic yet hopeful tone.

"It's 103." She said.

"Thank you! I don't have time for you old man!" He yelled as he ran past him and his cousins.

His father turned to his odd son who ran into the elevator. He tapped his foot as it slowly went to the first floor of the hospital. When he finally got to the floor, he ran to Andou and Hanabusa who were looking depressed, waiting outside of a room. Their expressions changed when they saw the chocolatier.

"Kashino-kun?" Hanabusa said.

"This is her room right?" He asked, quickly.

"Yeah-" Andou said before he literally barged into the hospital room.

The Amano family stood beside the hospital bed. Her father stood guiltily in crutches and a broken leg, while her sister and mother held her hand worriedly. A female doctor, one of his many cousin in-laws, treated to the bubbly girl. Ichigo's head was wrapped up into a bandage, as well as her right leg and right arm.

Makoto took a minute to breathe and process what was going on and straightened up as he asked, "What happened to her?"

The blonde looked at him curiously and looked over to her clip board, "She was hit by the truck head first and because she sat on the right edge, her right leg and arm broke." She explained.

"It's all my fault... If I hadn't turned the car around..." Mr. Amano sobbed.

"Crying won't solve anything, dear. You were trying to help." Mrs. Amano comforted him.

"Onee-san..." Natsume cried.

Kashino gulped, "Anything else?"

"...Due to the trauma that was caused on the head, her nervous system was damaged causing..." She paused.

"Her...?" Kashino repeated her last word.

"Loss of sight." She finished, hesitantly.

Kashino's eyes widened, "Temporary or permanently?!" He asked, worriedly.

"That is not for sure yet, though if it is temporary, it will take a very, very long time for her eyesight to come back. On a brighter note, her other injuries are not serious." She sighed.

Kashino looked at the brunette who slept on the hospital bed, still recovering from what happened.

"Is... Is there anyway to get her sight back immediately?" He asked.

"Yes, though... It may end up worse or better. There's no telling how it will affect her after." She said.

"Thank you, I'm sorry for intruding." He bowed.

"No problem." She said as Kashino stepped out of the room.

The two stared at the blonde as the spirits cried on the chair.

_"Of all people..." _He thought, in angst.

_"Why her?!"_

**Time skip, the next day...**

Ichigo felt her eyes slowly open and blink. She felt the soft blanket covering her weak body and heard the beeping of the machines around her. She knew she was alive and moving... She just couldn't see a thing.

"Ichigo!" She heard her parents yell, worriedly.

"Mama, Papa...?" She says, with a confused tone.

"Are you alright? Are you feeling weak-" Her mother begun before noticing the confused expression on her face.

"I'm awake right...?" She asked.

"Yes..."

"Then... why can't I see a thing...?" She asked, unhappily.

Her family cried at her bedside, unable to answer her question.

"I will explain to you, Ichigo-chan." An unfamiliar voice said.

"Who... Who are you?" She asked.

"It's very nice to meet you, I'm Kashino Aoi. I specialise in helping blind people." She said.

Her situation was explained to her simply and as quick as possible. Ichigo panicked of course.

"I advice you not to move around much, Ichigo-chan. You might hit yourself. At this point, we can't have you worsen your condition." She said, helpfully.

"A-Alright... It's just... Hard to process that's all." She said, disappointedly.

"I know... It's easy to understand. It came out of no where after all. Just get your rest for the next few days. When you feel better, we'll help you learn a few new things, okay?" She said, reassuringly.

"Yes..." She said as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

The doctor stepped out of the hospital room and sighed.

"Is she alright?" Makoto asked.

"Yes, she just needs her rest. You can visit her in a week or two. You should head back home now, Makoto." She said.

He reluctantly stood up and went home. It was truly something he couldn't believe. Such a thing happening to a person who didn't deserve it? What will happen to her studies? Her dream? Can she really do this now, blind?

What will happen to her now?

They were all questions that stuck in his head as he was driven home. He didn't feel like studying. In fact, he didn't feel like doing anything. He just sat on his bed thinking about her pitiful state.

"I hope... She'll be alright." He said to himself.


	3. Chapter 3: Learning New things

**Ichigo's POV**

It's... Kind of scary when I sleep. When I open my eyes, I still feel like... I'm sleeping. All I can see is darkness. Though, it's nice to feel the warmth on my eyes from bright lights and coloured things.

"Ichigo?" Dr. Aoi said.

"Yes?" I asked.

"It's time." She told me.

"Alright, let's go." I said, with a smile.

I felt my hospital bed move and heard the wheels roll across the halls. It's been a week since I was admitted to the hospital. I was told I had to stay here for seven weeks before I could go back to school. I'm kind of worried that I'll miss a lot.

"We're here. Are you sure about this? We can do it anytime." I heard her ask.

"It's alright, I want to do this now." I replied, still looking straight.

Today, I was doing tests. With my sight gone, they were going to teach me how to depend on my other senses. Scent, taste, sound, and touch. I needed to use the senses that I still have in order to live. I heard something be placed in front of me.

"Okay Ichigo, we're going to do touch first alright?" She reassured me, through a microphone in the opposite room.

"Alright." I said.

"Place your left hand on one of the cards." She said.

I put my hand on the one right in front of me. It felt cold and smooth. The feeling was familiar. It made me think of the time me and my family went camping.

"Okay Ichigo, what do you feel?" She asked.

"I feel something cold and smooth." I replied.

"Anything else?" She asked.

"Um... It's a little rough on the edges..." I said.

"Good, what do you think it is?" She asked.

"It's... a rock?" I guessed.

"Correct." She said.

I smiled brightly, because I can't move around too much anymore.

"Okay, next card." She said.

**Time skip, next exercise...**

Next was sound.

"Okay Ichigo, when you hear someone speak, you have to face toward where the sound is coming from." She said.

"Alright." I replied.

I sat silently, looking straight until I heard someone speak.

"How are you?" It asked.

I turned my head to the right, "I'm fine, thank you." I said.

"What's your name?" Another came from the opposite direction.

I went towards it, "I'm Amano Ichigo, it's very nice to meet you." I smiled.

"Who's your sister?" The sound came from in front of me.

I looked straight and said, "She's Amano Natsume, she's a really talented in piano." I replied.

All of them started talking at the same time.

"Please speak once at a time." I said, calmly.

The voices stopped and I heard Dr. Aoi say, "Good job Ichigo." I said.

I looked up to the speaker it was coming from, "Thank you."

"You're welcome. We'll be doing taste and smell to together, alright?" She reassured me.

"Okay!" I said cheerfully.

I then heard plates be placed in front of me.

"Okay Ichigo, there are five different types of food in front of you. Someone will be feeding you with a spoon for all of them. You need to smell it first and taste it and then tell me what it is." Dr. Aoi said, with an unusually happy tone.

"O-okay." I answered.

I smelled something good. It wasn't a sweet, but it smelled warm and delicious. I opened my mouth and someone put in my mouth carefully. I tasted familiar food in my mouth. Meat, rice, carrots, and creamy sauce.

When I swallowed I gave my answer, "It's curry!" I said.

"Correct, next one." She giggled.

**This morning, Normal POV...**

"Why can't I?!" Makoto asked, irritatedly.

"I'm sorry Makoto-kun, but Amano Ichigo's doing tests today." The receptionist said, nervously.

"What's this about?" Dr. Aoi asked.

"I want to visit Amano." He replied, seriously.

"She's doing tests today, Makoto." She sighed.

"Then let me help! She doesn't need to know that I was here!" He said.

Dr. Aoi looked at him curiously, _"Does he...?"_ She thought.

"Are you willing to do that?" She asked.

"Yes!" He said.

She smirked, "Alright then."

During the smell and taste test, Makoto's POV...

_"I know I said that... But why is she making me do the embarrassing part...?"_ He blushed.

I had to feed her during the taste test.

"Okay Ichigo, there are five different types of food in front of you. Someone will be feeding you with a spoon for all of them. You need to smell it first and taste it and then tell me what it is." She said.

"O-Okay." Amano answered.

I took a spoonful of the curry and put it close to her mouth. She breathed it in for a second and then opened her mouth. I hesitantly put the spoon in her mouth and took it out carefully. She chewed happily.

_"Why does she have to be so cute?!" _I thought to myself.

"It's curry!" She said happily.

At this moment I was blushing pretty hard. I was trying to keep quiet and sit still.

"Correct, next one." My cousin in law giggled.

_"Next one?!"_ I yelled in my head.

Ichigo's hospital room, her POV...

"Okay, Ichigo!" I heard Dr. Aoi say as something heavy put down on the table.

I put my hand on it,_ "Books...?"_ I thought.

"What are these?" I asked as I took one.

I opened a book and felt the pages. It had bumps on it.

"This is books in braille." She explained.

"Braille?" I repeated.

"Yes, it's little dots that help blind people read. I'm going to teach it to you." She explained.

The rest of the day, I spent learning braille. Once we finished, I read it again and again until I memorised it and and she tested me. I learned a lot today. With this... I think I can survive.


	4. Chapter 4: In St Marie

**Normal POV, St. Marie Academy, Three weeks later...**

"They just finished Amano's new room?" Andou asked.

"Yeah, It's specially designed for blind people. I had no idea the room next to ours was vacant. I've been reading a lot about how to care for a blind person, so I'm going to help her." Rumi explained.

"Good, I'm glad she'll be alright." Hanabusa sighed of relief.

The news had gone all over the school by now. One of their students was blind. Someone who didn't deserve it.

"All of Ichigo's textbooks were replaced with braille too." Rumi sighed.

"Why did this happen to Amano of all people?" Kana asked, unhappily.

"We don't really know..." Andou sighed.

The story was quite depressing and was frequently told amongst students.

"Where's Kashino?" Rumi asked, curiously.

"He's been visiting Amano-san everyday." Hanabusa smiled.

"How cute." She smiled.

"Yeah, though she doesn't know he's been there. He only checks on her or helps with her tests." Andou followed.

"Well he is stubborn about a lot of things." Rumi sighed.

"I think he's really worried about her and really does want to see her." Kana smiled, happily.

"Yup! I'm sure he misses her a lot." Rumi agreed.

They looked at Ichigo and Kashino's usual seats, "I hope she'll come back soon." Hanabusa said.

"All we can do is pray." They sighed.


	5. Chapter 5: A proper visit

**Normal POV, Six weeks later...**

Ichigo's learned a lot the past few weeks she's been in the hospital. She learned how to use her four other senses, how to read Japanese braille, and even how to move with service animal or people. She's had many visitors over the few weeks too, like Andou, Kana, Hanabusa, Rumi, Vanilla. The only person she hasn't seen was, Kashino.

"Well... He doesn't like coming to his family's hospital anyway..." She sighed to herself.

Her broken arm and leg were healed and she was set on leaving the hospital the next week, after further tests. She'll be going back to school soon. Due to her not being able to cut her hair the past few weeks, it was now a bit past her shoulders. A pink ribbon was tied around a large portion of the right side of her head.

"Ichigo-chan." Dr. Aoi said.

"Yes?" She asked, with a brighter mood.

"I brought something for you." She said.

"A present?" She said excitedly.

"Yes." She said putting two things down on the table.

Ichigo felt the things in front of her. They felt so familiar.

"Is this my laptop and cellphone?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes, but your family had the keyboard on both replaced." She explained.

Ichigo placed her fingers on the keys and felt the slight difference.

"Is this... Braille?!" She said in shock.

"Yes, your laptop is what your going to use in class from now on. This will make things easy for you." She said.

"Thank you so much!" She said happily.

**Later that evening...**

Kashino's parents were on their break, talking.

"He's been here a lot these past few weeks." His father said.

"I saw him with Yuki's wife a lot as well." His mother pointed out.

"I don't think it's because he wants to be a doctor either." He said, disappointedly.

As if it was on cue, they saw their only son walk into the hospital with a bouquet of daisies. He went into the elevator and the (for once) concerned parents followed him into the other elevator. When they reached the first floor, they past the room their son was in.

"They smell wonderful, Kashino. Thank you so much." She said.

"Y-You're welcome..." He stuttered.

His mother looked at her husband in confusion.

"Isn't that the blind patient?" She asked her husband.

"Yes, Amano Ichigo I presume." He said.

They looked into the room to the girl's smiling face. They were shocked to see their son, blushing and quite embarrassed.

"Your going back to school soon right?" He asked.

"Yes, after a few more tests, i'll be out of the hospital." She said.

"That's good..." He said, softly.

When things became silent, the two sat there awkwardly.

"Kashino." She said.

He looked up to see her hand reaching towards him. Kashino looked a little confused for a couple of seconds, until he came closer to let her recognise his face.

"Thank you for visiting me today." She said, calmly yet happily.

"N-No problem..." Kashino said.

The two parents made their way back to their work stations.

_"So it was a girl..."_ They thought.


	6. Chapter 6: Back at St Marie

**Normal POV**

"Okay everyone. Today I have very important news." Ameya-sensei said, happily.

Everyone quieted down and turned their attention on their teacher.

"As you know, Amano-san has been in the hospital the past few weeks over the weekend due to an accident over the vacation and she is now blind." She said.

Many of the students stiffened. It wasn't good to hear someone they knew was deeply affected with an accident. Everyone's felt horrible about Ichigo's accident. When they heard, they started regretting times they were cruel to her, especially to people who saw her last on bad notes.

"She is now back in school." She announced.

"Eh?!" The class went.

Ameya-sensei turned to the door and gestured someone to come in. The students stared at the door, waiting for their classmates. A nurse then stepped in, holding her hand. She slowly walked in, wearing her uniform. The class's eyes widened with shock and pity. She could barely walk on her own and needed help from the nurse to walk to the front of the class.

"Hello everyone." Ichigo said, with a calm tone and a smile on her face.

Everyone gulped, noticing her different atmosphere. They knew she had to act more calm, to stop her from having any further accidents.

Feeling everyone's eyes on her, she felt kind of uncomfortable, "It's nice to be with you all again. Please don't treat me like I am different. Even though I am blind now, I am still the same no matter what accident that happens to me." She said with a happy tone.

Despite that, everyone continued looking at her with pity. Ichigo was then led to her seat, that was now changed to the front to make it easier for her. Rumi was in the seat next to her, so she was able to help her when she needed it. When Ichigo started reading her books in braille, she felt a pair of eyes on her, that seemed to come from the right.

She turned, not remembering who it was, "Is something wrong?" She asked politely.

"No! No! Nothing's wrong!" He yelled with a panicked tone.

It seemed to be one of the group F boys. Ichigo looked at him with concern but returned to her work later on.

**After class...**

Whispers were exchanged amongst students, as Ichigo walked through the halls, alone.

"Doesn't she need help?" A worried voice said.

"What if she accidentally get's hurt?" Another said with concern.

Ichigo carried her books in hand, determined to get out in one piece. Just then, Ichigo accidentally bumped into a freshman and both fell to the ground.

"Are you blin-" He paused when he saw who it was.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry!" He said with a panicked tone, quickly picking up her books for her.

Ichigo looked at him with confusion, "It's alright, I bumped in to you."

"But you're...!" He started, he didn't seem to want to continue what he was saying.

Ichigo then frowned, knowing she'll be treated this way until she proves herself. She then felt a familiar hand on her shoulder.

She turned to him, "Hanabusa-kun?" She said.

"Are you alright?" He asked with a concerned tone.

"Yes, I bumped into him though..." She said with an unhappy tone.

Hanabusa helped Ichigo up and the boy handed her books to him.

"I'm really sorry!" He said, before running off.

Ichigo was then guided through the halls by Hanabusa.

**In Salon de Marie...**

Ichigo was once again the centre of attention when she walked in with Hanabusa. She felt many eyes on her as she walked to a table. It didn't help that some people can't whisper.

"How will she become a patissiere now?" One said.

"I don't think she'll be able to do it anymore." Says another.

Ichigo then once again felt uncomfortable, that was until a certain person finally stood up for her.

"Ah geez! Can't you all give her a break?!" Miya yelled, with an annoyed tone.

"Koshiro-san?" Ichigo said, with a confused tone.

"She got into an accident. So what? She became blind. So what? The polite thing to do is ask her if she's alright, not go on and have your own opinion on what she can and cannot do! Just because someone's disabled, they don't need- no, don't want, all the attention!" She yelled.

Ichigo and the rest looked at her, shocked with what she had to say.

"Give her a break! She doesn't want to be pitied! It's Amano-san! If it's her, you should all know she can do it!" She continued, with confidence.

She was going to say more until she felt a hand on hers.

"Amano-san..?" She said, in confusion.

"Thank you, Koshiro-san." She said, sincerely.

Though she knew she was only mad because she was getting all the attention, she appreciated it.

Looks like things aren't going to be so bad after all.


End file.
